Adhesive tape dispensing device



Dec. 28, 1954 POTTLE 2,698,143

ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 23, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR.

e/4LP// K. POTTZE ATTORNEYS Dec. 28, 1954 R. K. POTTLE ADHESIVE TAPEDISPENSING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 25, 1949 ZWMZQ Arroexv s1366- 1954 R. K. POTTLE ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENSING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed Aug. 23, 1949 1N VEN TOR.

F/YZPH K, P077215 BY M i ATTOE/V rs United States Pateflt Q a 2,698,143ADnEsivE TAPE msianNslNonnvicn Ra h..K-,f1? na New rk, in. 'as ig dr'mAi erian 'Can Company, New York, N. Y., ncorporation of New e sApplication August 213, 1 94 9y Serial No. 111, 8 9 7 2 Claims.((1242-5515) This inventionrelatesto adhesive tape dispensing devicesandhas particular reference to 'devices for holding a portion of thetapeadjacent its'free end, in easy grasping position whereit isavailable fir withdrawing desired lengths of the tape from-the spook; vI

Numerous types of containers nd devices have been placed 'onlthe marketfor holding and dispensing tacky, adhesive coated-tape or-stripmaterialfrom a roll carried or enclosed in a housing or-. container for.withdrawing arid-severing desiredlengths of the tape therefrom. In manyinstances these deyices are unsatisfactory because the knives or cuttingedges provided for severing the tape become gummedup with adhesiyeand-frequently the adhesive co'ated side 'stic ks to the wallsrof thehousing or onto the roll proper making it -,difficult-to locate the freeend of the tape for continued feeding of the tape to the cuttingknifer V.Thepre'sent invention contemplates, overcoming these difliculties byproviding ,a dispensing device in which the adhesive coated surface ofthe tape will be kept out of contact with the cutting edge of the knifeand alsb in which the leading or free end of thetape, following asevring operation', willbe shifted away frornthe knife andheld-ineasygrasping p'ositionfor a subsequent tape dispensing operation.

An objectof the invention is the provision of. a dispensing deyice for aroll of tapeor strip inaterial having one of its surfaces coated with atackyfor pressure sensitivewadhesiv wherein the roll is rotatablycarried in an efli'cientmanner with the free end 'of the tape extendedin a position for easy grasping to enable desjredlengths of the tape tobe withdrawn andsevered from the roll asmay be; required. i

Another object-is the provision of a dispensing device of :the characterdescribed wherein a free or cut end of an unwound portion .of aroll'oftacky tape following F a tape severing operation shifted awayfrom the cutting blade or knife and disposed outwardly in an open spacewhere it-rnay be easily grasped preparatory to the next tape withdrawingand severing operation.

Another. object is the provision in such a dispensing device of amovable or yieldable pressnreexerting element located in thfepa'th' oftheunwound tape and en: gageable with the uncoated surface thereofduring a tape dispensing operation without marr ing the tape and alsoengageable with the uncoated tape surface following every tape severiiigoperation forurging an unwound portion of the tape against a stationarysupport element to hold the tape and simultaneously shift the freesevered end =of the tape away-frond the cutting knife and into anextended position where it is'easily grasped for a subsequenttapeldispensing operation.

Numerous otherobjects and advantages of the inverition'willgbe apparentas itis better understood from the following description; .Which takenin c'onnection'with the accompanying drawings, disclosesia preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring. to the drawings:

Figure 1 is aperspective viewof a tape dispensing de'- vice embodyingone form of the, present invention;

Fig. 2- is enlarged transverse sectional. view of the device shown Fig.1taken substantially along a .vertical. t b the line. 2 ,2 inthat.figure, the .view g m' dot. an the devlce ma different p i 3 gr ve; th

1, sp sing device shown in Flgs.

lines a hingeable pal-tof- Fig. 4 is a bottomview.of=the;dispensingdevice' shown in Figs. 1 to- 3 illustrating the details of a hinged-sidewall;

Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview similar. to Fig. 1 illustrating another formof the invention;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional'view of the device shown in Fig. 5taken substantially along a verticalplarie indicated by the lines 66 inthat figure;

Fig. 7 is a transverse. sectional view of 'thedevice shown in Figs. 5and 6 takentsubsta'ntially along the line 77 in Fig. 6; i

Fig. 8.is. aview similar to Fig.6 with certain parts shown .in differentpositions;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view similar to Figs. 1 and '5 illustratingstill another form of the invention;..and' I Fig. 10 is a longitudinalsectiona'l viewof-thedevice. shown in Fig. 9 taken substantially; alonga vertical plane indicated by the lines 10-'-10 in that figure;

As a preferred orleiremplary embodiment of the invention Figs. 1 to 4 ofthe drawings illustrate a substantially rectangular shaped tapedispensingdevice including a receptacle, container or housing 15 to,accorlrimodateadg hesive or other tacky tape in roll form and to permitit to be dispensed by unwinding and severing stripsiof desired lengththerefrom. If desired the receptacle, con-..

tainer or housing 15 may be made. oblo'n'g with rounded ends.

The container or housing licoinprises apair of spaced,

side members or plates 16-, 17 formed of sheeftrnetal and a tubular-formbody 18 disposedbetween the plates and defining top and bottom walls21.22am front and rear end walls 23, 24 (Figs. 1 and 3). I i

The side plates 16, 17"prelferably are 'rectangular in outline and areformed with 'countersu'nk panels 25. The periphery or marginal edges ofthese plates are formed with suitable flanges for attaching the plate'sto the body 18; The plates 16, 17 also arefo'r rned with inwardlyprojecting circular and co-axiallyaligne'd flanges 26 which serve astrunnions-for rotatably suppprtin'g a rollgoftape container (Fig. 2;). Ip define circular openings 31 which provide a finger hole for holdingthe dispensing device. I v

The top wall 21 and the front end wall'23 ofthe body 18 are cut-away=adjacent the vupper front 'corner; of the container (Figs. 1 and2.) toprovide a dispensing.opening 32 through which an unwound leadingend-ofthe tape may pass for-dispensingpurposes. of the top wall 21-isbent obliquely inward and terminates in an outwardly curled edge3Awhifch-provides a sta; tionary support for the free end of the tape.The opposite side edges .35. of the top. wallpprtion 33 are, cut back sothat this wallportion may extend inwardly between the side plates 16,17.

The front end wall 23 of the body 18 extends about half way up the frontor height of the container (Fig.1.) and terminates in a.serrated=edgfi..which provides a stationary cutting edge or knife 3 6 for severingwithdrawn lengths oftape from theclispeiiser. v

n he, sembl r ,t eg mli pa ts he: nd; outer flange s.37, 38 formed onthe side plate, 16', are tightly pressed along;the rnarginaledgeof,.tlie1body.18"

and preferablyare secured thereto .bysolder (Fig. 2

Inner and outer flanges 41 42formed'onthe-side-plate 17 frictionallyengagemhe-marginalsedge. ofthe body- 18 along three sideedges namely;the top 21 and the ends 23; 24. The remaining or-fourth s'ideedgeofthehingevlug 44twhichtsur'roundsa pintle 45 which extendsoutwardbeyond-theoppositetedges ofcthe hinge lug 44.

The endsof the pintle are, carried in outwardly projecting.lugsAQforrned in the bottom. wall 22;(F1gs.- land-:4) of the body 18.

A Po ti nv 33 The side plate or cover 17 thus hingedly connected to theside of the container 15 permits easy access to the interior of thecontainer through a filling opening for loading a roll of tape into thedispensing device. With the container temporarily in an open. positionas best illustrated in Fig. 3, a roll of tape 26 may be readily insertedin place on the flange or spindle 26 of the side plate 16. An endportion 48 of the tape preferably is unwound from the roll just beforepositioning it in the dispenser and this unwound end is extendedoutwardly through the opening 32 provided for this purpose.

The tape on the roll 27 is of the type which has only one of itssurfaces or faces coated with a tacky pressure sensitive adhesive. Thiscoated surface usually is toward the roll. Thus as the unwound portionis fed through the opening 32 the upper or coated surface of the tape(as viewed in Fig. 3) engages against the stationary support curl 34.The tape temporarily is held in this position by a movable or yieldablepressure exerting element 51 so that the outermost free end of the tapeis disposed outwardly in space where it is easily grasped forwithdrawing strips or portions of the tape from the roll.

The pressure exerting element 51 in the present embodiment comprises aspring formed preferably from spring wire bent to provide a curl 52intermediate its length and having one end of the wire bent into asubstantially U-shaped section or pressure arm 53 (Figs. 1 and 3). Asshown, this arm extends from its center of oscillation adjacent the edge36 inwardly toward the roll 27 a distance slightly greater than thedistance between the oscillation center and the tape support 34. Thearfn is also biased toward the support 34. The opposite end 54 of thewire 51 is bent to extend down along the front end and along the bottomadjacent one side of the container where it is secured by solder or inany other suitable manner.

During a withdrawing operation the free extended end of the unwoundportion 48 of the tape is grasped and drawn away from the curled edge 34and outwardly of the dispensing device (Figs. 1 and 3). The uncoatedsurface of the tape bears against and slides over a transverse leg 55 ofthe U-shaped section 53 of the spring 51 depressing it into the positionas indicated by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 3, and the tape iswithdrawn along a tape dispensing path also shown in Fig. 3 as a dot anddash line extending from the roll outwardly and over the cutter 36. Whena desired length of tape is withdrawn, the uncoated surface of the innerend of the strip is brought down against the serrated cutting edge 36and severed from the roll.

Immediately following such a withdrawing and severlng operation the leg55 of the spring 51, hearing against the uncoated surface of the unwoundportion 48 of the tape, urges it back toward the stationary support orcurled edge 34 and grips the tape with a slight pressure. The tackycoated surface of the tape engages and adheres to the curled supportedge 34 substantially along a line contact without marring the tape.

This action of the st ring 51 on the severed or outer free end of theunwound portion of the tape pulls it away from the cutting knife 36 intoa free extended position as best illustrated in Fig. l where it isgripped between the spring and the support 34 and is readily accessiblefor a subsequent tape dispensing operation.

As another form of the invention Figs. to 8 of the drawings illustrate acircular or drum shaped body, receptacle or container for housing a rollof tape and havmg a partially opened elongated extension formed at oneside for housing the tape cutting and tape gripping instrumentalitieswherein the unwound end of the tape may be held in readiness fordispensing purposes.

The drum shaped container comprises a pair of spaced side members orplates 61, 62 formed of sheet metal, a body 63 of metal disposed betweenand joined to the plates and a metal hinged wall or cover 64 (Figs. 5and 7).

The marginal edges of the side plates 61, 62 preferably are formed withlaterally extended flanges 65, 66 along substantially half theirperiphery and with beaded and hemmed edges 67 along the remainder. Theflanges 65, 66 extend along the bottom half including the circularportions of the side members and continue into the elongated extensionfor uniting the body 63 therewith. The headed and hemmed edges 67 extendalong the upper circular half and the adjoining elongated extension(Fig.

5) for providing smooth and reinforced edges along the top of thecontainer.

The body 63 is formed with a semicircular portion 68 which provides thebottom for the drum shaped body (Figs. 6 and 8). At an intermediate partof this body 63, the circular portion terminates in a bridge or barrier71 which is bent and extended into a straight bottom portion 72 for theelongated extension. At its forward end the bottom portion 72 is curvedupwardly and terminates in a serrated cutting edge or knife 73. A hingelug 74 is formed on the end of the body 63 opposite the cutting knife 73(Figs. 6, 7 and 8).

The cover 64 is semicircular in outline (Figs. 5, 7 and 8) and along itslongitudinal edges is beaded outwardly to provide channels 75 on theinner face which channels are adapted to surround the beaded and hemmedcircu lar edges 67 of the container body. At one end the cover isprovided with spaced hin e lugs 76 which co-operate with the hinge lug74 of the body 63 for connecting the cover to the container. At itsopposite end the cover is bent into a curved section 77 which terminatesin an outwardly curled edge 78 which provides a stationary support forthe tape being dispensed when the cover 64 is in closed position (Fig.6). The beaded edges of the cover defining the channels 75 are cut awayat this latter or inner end so that the bent section 77 and the curlededge 78 may enter between the side plates 61, 62.

The cover 64 is retained in its normal or closed position by aprotuberance 81 which is pressed inwardly in each of the side plates 61,62 (Figs. 6 and 8) and these protuberances register with the innercircular wall of the curl 78 when in the position illustrated in thelatter figures and provide snap buttons for holding the cover closed.

During the assembly of the container parts, the flanges 65, 66 of theside plates 61, 62 are secured by soldering to marginal overlapped edgesof the portions 68, 72 of the body 63. The hinge lugs 74, 76 are alsounited by a pintle 82 for hingedly connecting the cover to thecontainer.

In order to keep the free unwound end of the tape in easy graspingposition a yieldable pressure exerting element 83, similar to theressure exerting spring 51 hereinbefore described, is provided andsecured in position within the elongated extension. For this purpose thespring element 83 has one end 84 extended along the bottom adjacent oneside of the extension where it is secured by solder or by any othersuitable means. The opposite end of the spring element 83 is providedwith a transverse leg 85 which is similar to the leg 55 of the springhereinbefore mentioned.

A roll of tape 27 is loaded into the instant dispenser by swinging thehinged cover 64 to an open position. An unwound portion of the tapeextending from the roll and having its tacky coated surface on top asviewed in Fig. 6 is extended outwardly over the barrier 71 and thetransverse leg 85 of the pressure exerting element.

When the cover is swung inwardly into its normal or closed position thetacky coated surface of the unwound portion of the tape engages againstthe stationary support 78 where it is held by the yieldable springelement 83 with the outer free end of the tape extended into easygrasping position as best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

During a tape withdrawing operation the roll of tape is freely rotatedin the circular or drum shaped end of the container and is engageableagainst the barrier 71 and the inner end of the circular wall of thecover 64 (Fig. 8). As the tape is dispensed the uncoated surface thereofslides over the transverse leg 85 of the pressure exerting element 83depressing the element to the position shown in the latter figure and iswithdrawn along a tape dispensing path extending outwardly over thecutter 73. When a desired length of the tape is thus withdrawn, theuncoated surface of the tape is brought down against the cutting knife73 and the tape severed from the roll.

Following a dispensing operation, the leg 85 of the pressure element 83like the leg 55 of the element 51 previously described, bearing againstthe uncoated surface of the unwound portion of the tape, urges the tapeback toward the stationary support curl 78 of the cover 64 where thetacky coated surface of the tape engages and is held for a subsequentdispensing operation with the outer free end of the tape disposed ineasy grasping posi tion as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

As a still further form of the invention, Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawingsillustrate a cast block housing 91 having spaced side walls 92 andspaced front and rear walls 93, The housing 91 preferably is supportedon rubber or cushioned legs or plugs 95.

A roll of tape 27 is rotatably mounted in the space between the wallsand for this purpose the fibre core 28 is slipped onto a central hub 96having trunnions 97 which extend outwardly on opposite sides thereof.The ends of the trunnions 97 enter into open ended grooves 98 formed inthe inner faces of the side walls 92.

Provision is made in the instant embodiment for holding an unwoundportion of the tape in place so that the free outer end of the tape isdisposed outwardly at the front end of the dispenser where it is alwaysavailable for withdrawing purposes. For this purpose a stationarysupport 101 is provided against which the tacky coated surface of anunwound portion of the tape engages. The roll of tape with its unwoundportion preferably is positioned in the dispenser in such a manner thatthe tacky iz oatedosurface of the tape is face down as illustrated inThe stationary support 101 is formed as an outwardly curled edge at theupper end of a sheet metal bracket 102 which is secured to the topsloping face of the front wall 93 of the dispenser. The tacky coatedsurface of the tape normally is held against the support 101 by apivotally carried gravity pressure exerting element or swinging weight103 which is pivoted on a pin 104 carried in a substantially U-shapedbracket 105. This bracket 105 like the bracket 102 also is secured tothe top of the front wall 93 preferably adjacent or together with thesame (Fig.

The lower end of the weight 103 is rounded so that the uncoated surfaceof the tape will pass readily beneath it during a dispensing operationand also that only a narrow transverse section of the tape is in slightpressing engagement with it when an unwound portion is held against thestationary support 101.

During a tape dispensing operation the roll of tape is freely rotated onits pivotal mounting in the housing 91. As the tape is dispensed theuncoated surface thereof slides beneath the rounded edge of the pivotedweight 103 and swings it inwardly and upwardly to a positionsubstantially that shown in dot and dash lines illustrated in Fig. 10,and the tape is withdrawn along a tape dispensing path also shown inFig. 10 as a dot and dash line extending from the roll outwardly andover the cutter 106. When a desired length of the tape is withdrawn fromthe roll it is drawn taut against a serrated edge or cutting knife 106formed on the outer edge of a transverse section 107 of the U-shapedbracket 105 for severing the tape from the roll.

Following a dispensing operation the swinging weight 103 bearing againstthe uncoated surface of the unwound portion of the tape deflects thetape down toward the stationary support 101 where the tacky coatedsurface of the tape engages and is held for a subsequent dispensingoperation with the outer free end of the tape disposed in easy graspingposition as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A dispensing device for tape having one side coated with an adhesive,comprising a housing for holding a roll of said tape therein, astationary cutter on said housing for engaging the uncoated side of thetape to sever said tape as it is withdrawn along a dispensing path, astationary tape supporting element in said housing spaced from said tapedispensing path between said roll and cutter and facing the adhesivecoated surface of said tape, and a pressure arm pivotally mounted foroscillation about a center adjacent said cutter and extending from saidcenter inwardly toward said roll a distance greater than the distancebetween said center and said tape supporting element with the free endof said arm disposed between said supporting element and said roll andbiased toward said supporting element for normally engaging the uncoatedsurface of said tape and urging the tape away from said tape dispensingpath and against said supporting element to grip the tape againstwithdrawal until the tape is drawn into said dispensing path.

2. A dispensing device for tape having one side coated with an adhesive,comprising a housing having a filling opening formed therein throughwhich a roll of said tape is insertable into the housing, said housingalso having a dispensing opening therein, a stationary cutter in saidhousing adjacent said dispensing opening for engaging the uncoated sideof the tape to sever said tape as it is withdrawn along a dispensingpath and through the dispensing opening, inwardly projecting andoppositely disposed protuberances in said housing located between saidfilling and dispensing openings, a cover for said filling opening, astationary tape supporting element on said cover and extending into saidhousing, said element having opposite open sections aligned with andremovably engageable over said inwardly projecting protuberances in thehousing for holding said cover in place and for locating said tapesupporting element spaced from said tape dispensing path between saidroll and cutter and facing the adhesive coated surface of said tape, anda pressure arm pivotally mounted for oscillation about a center adjacentsaid cutter and extending from said center inwardly toward said roll adistance greater than the distance between said center and said tapesupporting element with the free end of said arm disposed between saidtape supporting element and said roll and biased toward said supportingelement for normally engaging the uncoated surface of said tape andurging the tape away from said tape dispensing path and against saidsupporting element to grip the tape against withdrawal until the tape isdrawn into said dispensing path.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date Re. 22,733 Krueger Mar. 19, 1946 1,384,640 Simpson July 12,1921 1,389,003 Huff Aug. 30, 1921 1,416,882 Sandals May 23, 19222,177,430 Greiser Oct. 24, 1939 2,264,425 Witter Dec. 1, 1941 2,334,458Van Tuyl Nov. 16, 1943 2,352,445 Pinckney June 27, 1944 2,424,486 MillerJuly 22, 1947 2,463,445 Van Cleef Mar. 1, 1949 2,506,504 Hudson May 2,1950 2,547,583 Krueger Apr. 3, 1951

